Uxbridge agrees to host pot company
UXBRIDGE — The selectmen Monday unanimously voted to enter into a sixth community host agreement with a marijuana company, this time with Deep Roots Craft Cannabis, a family-owned cannabis start up that is looking to establish a marijuana growing and processing operation on West Street.
Michael Brais, company president, says the business, which incorporated last June, will be family-owned and operated and that other principals in the company include his wife, father and in-laws. Brais is seeking a micro business from the state Cannabis Control Commission, which will allow his company to cultivate, market and distribute cannabis products wholesale to partnering dispensaries.
Cultivation and manufacturing operations will take place in an existing 14,500-square-foot building located at 420 West St., which is zoned industrial. According to Brais, approximately 12,000 square feet will be used for cultivation and manufacturing with the remaining space for administrative operations.
If approved by the state and town, Brais estimates that the business could see revenues of more than
$10 million in three years. The host agreement approved by the selectmen would provide an impact fee to the town of 1.75 percent of gross sales for the first five years.
The town has already voted to enter host community agreements with three recreational marijuana establishments – Grass Appeal, Gibby’s Garden and Caroline’s Cannabis, LLC; Blackstone Valley Naturals LLC, which is looking operate a cultivation and manufacturing facility, at 660 Douglas St.; and Baked Bean LLC for a marijuana processing and transportation establishment at 504 Quaker Highway.
Prospective marijuana businesses like Deep Roots Craft Cannabis are required to secure host community agreements before they can apply for a license from the state. Under the law, local officials can also set the tax rate on marijuana sold within their city or town’s limits, up to 3 percent. Unlike medical marijuana, recreational cannabis will be taxed. The state plans to levy a 6.25 percent sales tax and 10.75 percent excise tax, and leave to the discretion of municipal officials an option to levy the local tax up to 3 percent.
The fledgling Massachusetts marijua-
na industry is making significant inroads in the Blackstone Valley where towns like Uxbridge, Blackstone and Uxbridge have been courted in recent months by marijuana businesses.
In Blackstone, Gurpreet Kalra, proprietor of the Family Grocer convenience store, is applying for a retail license from the CCC to operate a retail dispensary in 1,368-square feet on the second floor of the existing store building at 202 Main St.
Blackstone is also being eyed by DDM Sales, Inc., which has notified the selectmen last month of its plan to put an adult-use retail cannabis dispensary in at 1 Lloyd St., the former Bell Liquors building located between the Millerville Men’s Club and Stop & Shop plaza.
In Millville, selectmen recently signed a community host agreement with Blackstone Valley Cultivation Co. co-owners Cassandra Heneault and Lisa Cadan, who are applying for a cultivation license from the state to establish a marijuana growing and processing operation at 141 Lincoln St., which could generate $10 million in year in gross sales.
That town is also preparing to enter into a similar agreement with a company that is proposing to open a cannabis retail store at Marty’s Liquors on Buxton Street.